Carton convertible into display holder



Dec. 20, 1955 R. E. PAIGE CARTON CONVERTIBLE INTO DISPLAY HOLDER Filed June 12, 1953 Inventor Richard E. Paige, I His Att -neg United States Patent'o CARTON CONVERTIBLE INTO DISPLAY HOLDER Richard E. Paige, New York, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 12, 1953, Serial No. 361,239 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-414) This invention relates to cartons or containers for articles of merchandise, and particularly, to cartons which may be converted to provide display holders for the merchandise sold in the cartons.

It is frequently desirable for displays of articles of merchandise in retail stores and the like to provide cardboard holders or open containers to hold the articles in plain view of the customers. It is a common practice to supply special display holders which are purchased by retail merchants for this purpose, such holders serving the sole purpose of displaying merchandise for sale. Certain articles of merchandise have been sold in containers which are arranged to form display holders for the merchandise. Such holders are frequently complicated and involve weakening of the packing structure. An object of this invention is to provide an improved carton for articles of merchandise, which carton may be converted to provide a display holder. t t t Another object of the invention is to provide a carton for articles of merchandise which may be converted to provide a display holder by simple bending or folding operations, with the minimum likelihood of marring the surfaces of the holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carton for articles of merchandise which may be easily converted to provide an improved and rugged display holder for the merchandise.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the annexed claims which form a part of this specification.

In carrying out the invention, a rectangular carton or box having a cover for the top opening is provided with a score across its rear wall and diagonal scores along its side walls arranged to facilitate the folding of the rear wall into the carton to a position where it extends across the bottom carton wall to provide a bottom wall for the display holder and the cover to a position in front of the carton front wall where it forms the rear wall of the display holder. The display holder thus formed presents a pleasing appearance since all the visible surfaces are normally finished exterior surfaces of the carton; and furthermore, the carton as folded provides a rugged structure not easily deformed in its normal use as a display holder.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cardboard carton embodying the invention, shown in Open position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the carton showing the walls in positions they occupy during the folding operation which converts the carton into a display holder.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the display holder formed by folding the carton of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view illustrating a way in which the cover flap may be used for advertising display purposes.

Referring to the drawing, the carton as illustrated in 2,727,619 Pateiited Dec. 20,1955

. 2 o I Fig. 1 comprises a rectangular box having side walls 10, a front wall 11, and a rear wall 12. Flaps on the bottom edges of the side, rear and front walls arefolded under to provide a bottom wall. The side wall flaps indicated at 13 are folded in first and then the front and rear wall flaps 14 and 15, respectively, are folded over the flaps 13 and secured in place by glue or by other suitable means. The carton is made from a single sheet of cardboard, the walls 10, 11, and 12 being folded together and secured at one corner, as indicated, a flap 16 formed along an edge of wall 11 being glued or otherwise attached to the edge of adjacent wall 10. Cover 17 is formed as an extension of the rear wall 12 and has a flap 18 for holding the cover in place when the carton is closed. The side walls are provided with cover flaps 19 which are folded in in the usual manner before closing the top 17. In the closed position of the carton the flaps 19 lie below the top 17, and the flap 18 extends along the inner side of the front wall 11 in face engagement therewith. In the present instance the carton is shown as having a depth greater than the width of the side walls.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is provided in each side wall a score 20 which extends diagonally from the top front corner of the side wall to a point 20a at the rear edge of the side wall and a second score 21 which extends from a point 21a midway between the corners of the top-edge of the side wall to point 201:. Score 21 thus divides the angle formed by score 20 with the rear edge 21b of the side wall to form two triangular side wall sections, a front side wall section a and a rear side wall section b. Rear wall 12 is provided with a score 22 which extends between the two points 20a. This provides a rear wall section 0 above score 22. Cover flaps 19 are connected to side walls 10 at their forward portion only as indicated at 23, the connections terminating just short of points 21a. In other words, cover flaps 19 are integral only with the top edges of triangular front side wall section a.

To convert the carton as shown in Fig. l to a display holder as shown in Fig. 3, rear wall section 0 ispressed inwardly along score 22 and at the same time side wall sections a and b are pressed outwardly to bend them along the scores 20 and 21. Rear wall section c carries triangular side sections b in with it, bending taking place around the rear edges 21b. In Fig. 2 the parts are shown in intermediate positions, the wall section c having been pressed in somewhat and triangular side wall sections a and b having been pressed outwardly. From the positions shown in Fig. 2, cover 17 may be pressed down against wall section 0 and the cover and wall section c then together pressed on downwardly and inwardly between side walls 10. As this movement continues triangular side wall sections b will be pulled inwardly and downwardly along with rear wall section c moving first toward section a until rear wall section 0 moves beyond score 20 after which further movement of section c will pull sections a and b inwardly, turning movement of sections a taking place along scores 20 until a final position is reached as shown in Fig. 3 where side wall sections a and b are straightened with respect to each other and lie against the inner surfaces of the other portions of side walls 10, and rear wall section 0 lies across the bottom of the box, it being supported by side wall sections a, b and along score 22. During the folding operation cover flaps 19 will have been pulled inwardly along with triangular side wall sections a and will have been brought to positions against the inner surface of front wall 11 as shown in Fig. 3. Cover 17 which during the folding operation described has been lying against rear wall section c may be now turned up against cover flaps 19 as shown in Fig. 3. Cover flap 18 may be positioned as shown in Fig. 3 between front wall 11 and flaps 19 or it may beleft in avertical position as shown in Fig. 4 in- -which case -it may carry suitable printed advertising indicia.

In the present instant score 22 is shown as being so positioned that rearwall section chas avert'ical length equal to the distance between 'front 'wall 11 and 'rear wa1l12'sothat section chas'the same'dimensions as' does the bottom of the "box. Accordingly, when folded it will reach-"to front wall 11 and will be substantially parallel to the box bottom. Under these circumstances'scores 20 would extend at angles of approximately 45 to the top edges of theside walls. However, if desired score 22 may be so located that when the carton is converted into a display holder 'wall "portion is positioned at an angle to the *horizontal.

"It is to be noted that when the carton as shown in Fig. 1 is folded to convert it into a display holder as shown'in-Fig. 3, all exposed surfaces 'of th'e'display holder are outside surfaces ofthe-carton which means that ordinarily they would-be finished surfaces, and the outside surfaces'ofthe carton can be 'made readily with advertising indicia so positioned with respect to the scoring that when -the carton is converted into a display holder the advertisingindicia will "be positioned advantageously.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent '01 'the United'Statesis:

l. A carton comprising bottom, side, front and rear walls, and a cover integralwiththe rear wall, said carton having a score across its rear wall adjacent to its lower edge and said'side'walls each having a score which extends from its top front corner diagonally to a point where it connects with said rear wall score and a second score which extends from the point between its top edge corners to a point where it connects with said rear wall score to provide front and rear'triangular shaped side wall sections, at *least one of said side walls having a cover flap integral with only the top edge of said fronttriangular shaped side wall section, said cover having an extension flap along the front edge thereof, said carton being convertible into a display holder by pressing inwardly the portion of the rear 'wall above the score which extends across it to a position over the carton bottom, the triangular side wallsections bending around the scores which define them to positions against the inner surfacesof the the display 'position of the -cart0n being disposed flush against the inner surface Ofz-Sfiid front wall, said cover in the display position being disposed flush against said cover flap adjacent said front wall, said extension flap of said cover being received between said front wall and said cover flap.

2. A carton comprising bottom, side, front and rear walls, and a'cover-integral with the rear wall, said carton having a score across its rear wall adjacent to its lower edge and said sidewalls each-havinga'score which extends from its top front corn'er'diagonally't'o a point where it connects with said rear wall score and a second score which extends from thepoint between its top edge corners to a point where it connects with 'said rear wall score to provide front and rear triangular shaped side wall sections, said side walls each having a cover flap coextensive with the upper edge thereof integral with only the top edge of said front triangular shaped side wall section and separated frorn'said-rear triangular shaped'side wall section by a horizontal slit, 'said'coverhaving an extension flap along the front edge thereof, said carton being convertible into a display holder by pressing inwardly the portion-of the rear wall-above the score which extends across it to a position 'over the carton bottom, the triangular side wall sections bending around the scores which define them to positions against the inner surfaces of the remaining portions of the side walls, said cover flaps in the display position of the carton being disposed flush against the inner surface of said front walls, said cover in the display position being disposed flush against said cover fiaps adjacent said front wall, said'extension flap of said cover being-received between said front wall'and said cover flaps.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

